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12/13/17

Happy Hannukah! Yesterday for the first night of Hannukah I made Gluten Free Carrot Latkes. Why? Because I was out of potatoes :)Using carrots has a few benefits: you don't need to squeeze out any liquid as you would with potatoes, there are most likely fewer carbs, and the color is so pretty!Gluten Free Carrot Latkes For HannukahMakes 5Ingredientsvegetable oil for frying2 carrots, peeled, grated1 small shallot, grated1 egg white {I had it left over from making challah over the weekend}pinch of salt, or morepinch of cayenne, or moreRanch dressing {I did not have sour cream!}fresh dill, choppedDirections1. Heat a cast iron skillet. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. Heat.2. Meanwhile, as the oil is getting hot, combine grated carrots and shallots with egg white, salt and cayenne.3. Drop the mixture carefully into the hot oil making little latkes. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side depending on the size. 4. Season with salt as the latkes come out of the oil. 5. Serve IMMEDIATELY with a side of Ranch and sprinkled with dill.

12/11/17

I love playing in the kitchen and creating food that is simple, colorful, and fun. Over the weekend I made a salad using produce from Washington's Green Grocer and inspired by Pantone's 2017 color of the year: Greenery.Salad Inspired By Pantone's Color Of The Year GreeneryBibb lettuceavocado, slicedcucumber, peeled and slicedGranny Smith apple, cored and slicedCastelvetrano olivesRomanescoolive oilkosher saltNo cooking required! Arrange the first 6 ingredients on a platter and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with Kosher salt.Maybe I'll create another salad for Pantone's 2018 color of the year: Ultra Violet.

12/7/17

Going to Lisbon? Love food? Looking for a fun way to spend 4 hours, learn about food and history of Portugal, and get hundreds of steps in? Then you need to sign up for one of the tours offered by Lazy Flavors. One of the first things I did after booking airline tickets and hotel for a solo vacation in Lisbon for Thanksgiving, was finding a food tour. I found Mariana, the owner of Lazy Flavors, through one of my sister's friends and contacted her to see if I could join one of the tours. Because of the schedule conflicts, I could not join a group tour, but Mariana offered a one on one tour and was gracious to host me in exchange for an honest review on my blog. I was game!I highly recommend arranging a food tour of any destination you are visiting as close to the beginning of the trip as possible. That way you'll get a great understanding of the city, find areas you'd like to explore further, and meet a local.Mariana customized the tour for me when I mentioned that I wanted to visit one of the markets, and was very quick to respond by email to multiple questions I had.Mariana picked me up at my hotel and we went next door to Confeitaria Nacional established in 1829! There, over pastries and coffee, Mariana told me that Portuguese sweets are commonly made with eggs and almonds. This particular bakery is known for their King's Cake that many residents buy for Christmas after standing in line that wraps around the block. Over the next 4 hours we visited Time Out Market, went on a tuk tuk ride to the neighborhood of Alfama (my favorite) where I tried fire roasted chorizo and ginginha (sour cherry liquor) sold by an old lady, then made our way back into central Lisbon for a cheese tasting, and a stop at a store that only sells tinned fish.Time Out Market is a great place to visit whether you are staying in a hotel or an airbnb. Part of the market is devoted to produce, fresh fish, flowers, and other ingredients you can pick up to bring back to your airbnb and turn into a meal. The other part is prepared food, restaurants, and kiosks where you can buy food to eat right there. That's where I tried Lisbon's famous egg tarts at a Manteigaria. Every time the tarts come out of the oven, the little cafe rings the bell! I returned to the market one other time during my trip for fresh oysters. At the cheese store where we had our cheese tasting, with a very large glass of wine, I learned that most of the cheeses in Portugal are made from sheep or goat milk. Queijaria Nacional is a great place to pop into in between wondering around the city for a quick bite. The service, food, and decor were outstanding. Before dropping me off at my hotel, Mariana bought a bag of roasted chestnuts: this was the first time I've ever tried them. Lisbon's sidewalks were filled with people roasting chestnuts on little carts. The chestnuts were hot, dense, and filling! The aroma was the best part. Thank you Mariana for a wonderful tour of the city. I'll be sure to sign up for one of the cooking classes if I'll come back to Lisbon.Stay tuned for another blog post about all the other things I did in Lisbon. I had the best time and am excited to share all my experiences with you to help you plan your trip!

12/4/17

I'm back from vacation and back to cooking and trying to eat slightly lighter, which is why the first recipe I made from Valerie Bertinelli's new cookbook was Arugula, Apple, and Fennel Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette and Three-Cheese Crostini.

I received a preview copy of Valerie's book and am impressed by the gorgeous photography, including Valerie herself who looks about 30 years old, helpful tips about ingredient substitutions and steps you can do ahead of time.

I've watched Valerie's show on Food Network for some time now and find her recipes simple, approachable, and quite appealing. The cookbook, called Valerie's Home Cooking, has the same feel to it.

This was a great light lunch. I can't believe there was a time when I did not like fennel! I will be posting another recipe from Valerie's book soon: stay tuned!Disclosure: I received the cookbook free of charge but am not compensated for this post. All thoughts/opinions are my own.

12/1/17

TGIF!! I'm back from Lisbon where I had such a great solo vacation. I'm planning on blogging about it and sharing with you all my favorite impressions, but for now I wish you a great December and a lovely weekend. {If you are as impatient as I am, you can go see all my vacation photos on instagram.}Buy yourself some flowers, because having a bit of nature in your home is so uplifting! I added a few fennel tops to my bouquet. Tell me if you have any exciting plans for the last month of 2017.

11/21/17

Here's what: holidays can be hard and lonely for many people. There's almost an added pressure to feel happy and festive and social and joyous. Because you know, social media, and preconceived notions of what holidays should be like, and all the hype.This Thanksgiving I'm actually whisking myself out of the country on a week long vacation. I'm THANKFUL I'm able to do this physically, logistically, emotionally, and financially. In the past, I've spent Thanksgiving with my own family, my pseudo adopted family, friends, and a combination of these groups. This will be the first Thanksgiving I'll be flying solo (figuratively and literally). Still, I wanted a Thanksgiving meal, and I made it. Semi homemade. But still really good.Highlights:1) Green beans: splurge and buy the French thinner ones. Simply saute with olive oil, adding minced garlic in the last few minutes. Season with salt. Toss in toasted almonds.2) Mashed potatoes: for the love of everything sacred, make them from scratch. I used a method my friend Mary shared: pressure cook Yukon gold potatoes. Put them through a ricer which saves you the peeling step. Add half & half, olive oil, and salt. 3) Cranberry sauce: this is as easy as adding fresh cranberries to the pot with freshly squeezed orange juice and a bit of sugar. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the berries pop. Literally, this can be done in 10 minutes. You can add chopped apples, orange zest, or even a bit of adobo sauce for a kick!I bought a rotisserie chicken, a mix to make stuffing to which I added sauteed mushrooms, onions, and celery; and a roll. Stuffing was beyond mediocre. The store bought gravy was also mediocre. Still, all together, this was a great way to feel that Thanksgiving-can-I-take-off-my-pants-and-take-a-nap-now food comma.I hope you have a good Thanksgiving regardless how, where, and with whom you'll be spending it. Remember, you are worth a great meal, not EVEN IF you are eating it on you own. You are worth it.I'll leave you with some recipes you may want to add to your menu:Curried Carrot Ginger SoupMiso Brussels Sprouts with Dried Cherries & Pine Nuts

11/20/17

Have winter plums? Want a quick and easy dessert that will be approved by both kids and adults? Then you should make Mrs. Plum Cake From The Modern Jewish Table Cookbook.A few weeks ago, my friend Sylvie invited me to her house for homemade Vietnamese food and asked me to bring dessert. I decided to page through The Modern Jewish Table Cookbook I received as a preview copy and noticed there was a cake with plums. Luckily, I had black plums in my latest Washington's Green Grocer order and needed only a few extra ingredients from the store.

Mrs. Plum Cake From The Modern Jewish Table Cookbookreprinted with permissionIngredients1 cup unsalted butter, softened (plus extra to grease)1 cup superfine sugar3 large eggs3 tablespoons Greek yogurt1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon cinnamon2 cups self-rising flour plus extra to flour)4 ripe plums, sliced {of course remove the pits}1 tablespoon plum jam (if you can't find plum jam, use a red seedless jam)NOTES:1) I decided to double the recipe2) I did not use the right size of baking dishes and had to bake the cakes twice as long: my own fault! But they still came out great.3) I used apricot jam from Rigoni di Asiago that I received as samples.

Directions1. Preheat the oven to 325F.2. Cream butter and sugar together with a beater. Beat in eggs one at a time.3. Add yogurt, flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Beat the mixture until smooth.4. Grease with more butter and flour a 12 x 6 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan. Pour in the mixture.5. Decorate with sliced plums over the top of the cake (make sure there are plenty).6. Bake for approximately 40 minutes.7. To check if the cake is baked, push a skewer below the plums into the center. It is done when the skewer comes out clean.8. Remove from oven and leave to cool. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack.9. Melt the jam in a small saucepan and glaze the top and sides of cake using a pastry brush.

This was such an easy recipe to put together. I used a stand mixer. As you can see, the plums fell into the cake. Maybe it's because I used the wrong sized baking dishes? The taste was still awesome!I wish I did not leave all the leftovers at Sylvie's ;)

11/16/17

If you are looking for a quick dinner that requires only a few dishes to wash afterwards, my One Pan Roasted Sausages With Potatoes, Fennel & Apple Recipe will be perfect for you. Once again, I received a few products from my friends at OXO to use in my kitchen and to share my experience with you. As always, all opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this post.I love roasted vegetables with any protein: beef, chicken, or pork. This time I used Italian sausages with apples {very seasonal!}, fennel, onion, and potatoes. Everything cooks in 30 minutes and you have very little mess to clean. Be ready for your home to smell delicious!A few key notes about the oxo products I used:By placing the sausages onto the silicone roasting racks, you make sure that they don't sit in the fat. Instead, the fat seeps into your vegetables and flavors them! The best thing about these roasting racks is that they will never ever rust!! I bet I can use one of them in my pressure cooker as well.The non stick jelly roll pan has enough of a lip to hold everything in the pan, allows for even heat distribution, and is incredibly easy to clean. Plus, just like other oxo baking pans I've used in the past, it has a great weight to it and will not bend.One Pan Roasted Sausages With Potatoes, Fennel & Apple RecipeIngredients5 Italian sausages, at room temperature1 large apple, or 2 medium ones, cut into 8 pieces {of course remove the core}1 large fennel bulb, cut into 8 wedges1 large onion, peeled, cut into 8 wedges2 cups nibbles potatoes {if you can't find these tiny potatoes, cube regular potatoes into bite size pieces}olive oilsalt & pepperwhole grain mustardhard cider

Directions1. Preheat the oven to 425F.2. Place silicone roasting racks directly onto the non stick jelly roll pan. Place the sausages on top of the roasting racks.3. Place the apple, fennel, onion, and potatoes onto the jelly roll pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss with your hands to make sure all the vegetables (and the apple) are coated with olive oil.4. Roast for 30 minutes, turning everything 180 degrees half way through the process.5. If you wish to get crunchier texture, broil the meal for a few minutes at the end.6. Serve with whole grain mustard and hard cider.

11/13/17

What if I told you that by buying a can of Goya Coconut Milk or Cream of Coconut you can help feed America?

I've paired up with Meatless Monday Bloggers and Can Do campaign to let you know that when you buy a can of Goya Coconut Milk or Cream of Coconut this November and December, Goya will donate at least 600,000 pounds of food to those in need! Will you participate?I hope you do! And I have a fabulous recipe for you for Vegan Laksa With Zucchini, Peppers & Mushrooms Soup. This recipe is my adaptation of a recipe for Squash Laksa Soup from Jamie Oliver.Disclaimer: I received a few Goya products, but am otherwise not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

Vegan Laksa With Zucchini, Peppers & Mushrooms SoupIngredients2-3 red chillies, seeds removed3 garlic cloves, smashed2 inch-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeledstems from 1 bunch of cilantro {reserve the leaves for garnish}1 tablespoon sesame oil2 limes, zested and juiced {more for garnish}2 tablespoons soy sauce1 tablespoon olive oil1 can coconut milk4 cups vegetable broth1 large zucchini, spiralized2 portobella mushroom caps, thinly sliced1 red pepper, thinly slicedDirections1. In a food processor make a puree from the chillies, garlic, ginger, cilantro stems, sesame oil, zest and juice of 2 limes, and soy sauce.2. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot and pour in the puree, aka laksa paste. Allow it to cook for a minute.3. Add in coconut milk and vegetable broth and simmer for 15 minutes. NOTE: If the mixture separates, use an immersion blender to very carefully smooth out the broth.4. Add in zucchini, mushrooms, and peppers. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.5. Serve topped with cilantro leaves and an extra wedge of lime.

This was the first time I've ever had laksa soup and I'm utterly in love with it. The flavors are so vibrant! You can make this soup with any other vegetables you like or add tofu. If you don't observe Meatless Monday, feel free to add cooked shrimp or chicken.I'll leave you with a visual process of how I adapt recipes ;)

11/1/17

And so it's November. November is the month of my dad's and brother's birthdays and what would have been my grandmother's birthday. It's also the month of one of the most delicious holidays: Thanksgiving! I'll be overseas for Thanksgiving this year, but wanted to share a Thanksgiving related recipe with you I made in collaboration with Superior Farms. They sent me a gift card to cover the ingredients and challenged me to create a recipe using lamb that could make it onto your Thanksgiving table.Immediately I thought about using lamb lollipops. These are fun to eat and can be served as an appetizer, a snack, or the main course. The cranberry sauce I created has a bit of sweetness and some heat, and can be served not only with the lamb, but also with the turkey, or even on toast with peanut butter!

Lamb Lollipops With Adobo Cranberry SauceMakes 5 (easy to double or triple!)Ingredientsolive oil5 lamb lollipops (ask your butcher for a lamb rack in the French style and cut it into individual pieces)Kosher salt3 tablespoons whole grain mustard2 cups fresh cranberriesjuice of 1 blood orange2 tablespoons sugar2 teaspoons (or more to taste) adobo sauce from chiles in adobo canDirections1. Preheat the broiler.2. Heat a cast iron skillet. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet and allow to heat.3. Season lamb lollipops with salt and smear with mustard on both sides. 4. Sear the lamb in the oil for 2-3 minutes on each side and then broil until it's golden brown and the mustard starts to sizzle.5. Meanwhile, make the cranberry sauce by adding cranberries, orange juice, sugar, and adobo sauce to a small pot, bringing the mixture to a boil and then simmering the sauce for about 5 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to crush the berries.6. Serve the lamb lollipops topped with the cranberry sauce. Be careful because the bones will be really hot!

NOTE: there will be fat and mustard left in the skillet which I highly advise you to use to fry some cubed parboiled potatoes!! Don't waste the goodness ;)Have a wonderful November!